So a couple of years ago Brad and I decided to make New Year's resolutions we might actually have a chance of keeping or at least would have fun trying to keep. So we resolved that each month we would commit to buying one "expensive" bottle of wine and eating out at a "new" restaurant. The "expensive" bottle simply meant spending more than our normal $20 cut off for wines we typically buy at the grocery store which ended up meaning having to go to a wine shop and likely spending about $50 on a bottle of wine. For a once a month expense that was no big deal especially compared to what we end up spending on one of our wine tour trips. But over time the having to go to a wine shop became harder with our busy schedules so we stopped trying to follow this resolution about 1.5 years into the process. Besides we were doing more wine tour trips so still had plenty of new wine experiences.
The "new" restaurant simply meant going to a restaurant neither of us had been to before. Even after having lived in this area for 22 years there are still plenty of places we have never tried and new ones pop up all the time. Some months the new place would be an inexpensive sandwich shop or pizza joint and some months it would be a high-end steak and wine kind of place. A lot of times our decisions were based on what coupon deals we had found or what our plans were for the evening. Many shopping or errand outings also include planning for where to have dinner in that part of town. And sometimes it included plans with friends especially those that had previously tried a new place in their neighborhood and wanted us to experience it with them. We managed to follow this resolution for nearly 3 years. Sometimes that eating at a new place didn't occur until the last day of the month and sometimes we counted a new place on vacation versus a new place at home. But with the economy situation we tended to frequent more sandwich shops versus steak places and finally with Brad being laid off we also failed to continue with this resolution.
Last year my sister-in-law resolved to make a new recipe each week. At the time I thought it was neat but that it would be quite the challenge for me to also do. For her it was based in part on having acquired a new Kitchen Aid mixer and wanting to make use of it. Well, in spring of this year I also treated myself to a Kitchen Aid mixer on sale and Brad said "I expect lots of things to be made in it". So sometime in April I also started the new recipe a week plan. Being competitive I ended up doing several new recipes a week to try and reach 52 new ones even though I was starting 4 months into the year. I didn't get there but I did have weeks where I made 3 or 4 new recipes then weeks where I didn't do anything new at all.
Trying new recipes is a lot of fun. For years you collect recipes out of magazines and earmark pages in cookbooks but how often do you really try new things? Certainly during holidays you might do something new but often it is best to stick with tried and true recipes. Therefore resolving to do a new recipe a week is a great way to finally try all those that you have clipped and you aren't risking making something bad during a big party event. Not all new recipes are successes. Sometimes the dish is fine but not worth the effort. Sometimes the whole thing is a flop. And then sometimes you find a new favorite. I ended up trying 35 new recipes over the last 8 months and I plan to continue this resolution for 2011. Here is my list from 2010:
Sausage Apple Pancake Casserole - YUM
Vegetable Soup Tuscan Style - needs tweaking
Tuscan White Bean Soup - needs tweaking
Pasta with Peas, Mushrooms and Ham - YUM
Potatoes Savoyarde - No
Spinach Avocado Orange Salad with Honey Poppy Seed Dressing - YUM
Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup - YUM
Pimento Cheese - YUM
Southwestern Chicken Pasta - Okay, not a keeper
Broccoli Sausage Pasta - YUM
Rapid Cold Rise Bread - needs tweaking
Broccoli Cheese Rice - Okay
Spinach Sausage Breakfast Casserole - YUM
Three Cheese Mac and Cheese - YUM
Waffles from scratch - YUM
New Fresh Guacamole recipe - YUM
Creamy Poblano Pepper Strips - YUM
Amish Bread - YUM
Amish Chocolate Bread - Okay
Bucatini Alla Matriciana - YUM
Martha Stewart Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies - YUM
Spinach Goat Cheese Tartlets - YUM
Fettuccine with Endive, Mushrooms, Bacon - YUM
Deep Dish Pizza - YUM
Rigatoni Casserole - No
Pasta Arrabbiata - YUM
Florentine Potato Salad - YUM
Croque Mac and Cheese - YUM
Lasagna Soup - YUM
Drunkin Noodle - needs tweaking
Herbed Cheese from scratch - YUM
Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese - No
Christmas Soup - No
Pasta with Mushrooms and Brie - YUM
Angus Barn Crackers - YUM
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Make your own cheese!
I ran across this in Hallmark Magazine of all places and thought it would be fun to try. And I was right! It is kind of like a science project watching the curds separate from the whey. The cheese is basically the same as a cottage or ricotta in terms of texture but with seasonings and pressing the cheese into a mold (i.e. bowl) it can be made into a cheese spread. I did a little on-line research and this is about the only form of cheese you can make without having to have special ingredients such as rennet. I also learned that this type of cheese does not melt and found suggestions that it can be formed into cubes and fried. The recipe indicates traditional flavorings for a garlic herb cheese. If you wanted to have this as a ricotta for cooking or to eat as a cottage cheese then keep it loose and barely season with salt. Now I have something else to add to my list of truly homemade items as I intend to make the ricotta as well as the pasta from scratch next time I bake a lasagna! As for other seasonings - I haven't run across any ideas but I think some variations can be created from this to recreate various cheese spreads (sun dried tomatoes, or lemon zest and thyme comes to mind).
Garlic Herb Cheese
Ingredients:
3 Garlic Cloves – thinly sliced
1 qt Milk - nothing less than 2%
1 cup Heavy Cream - can sub light cream if use whole milk
3-5 Tbsp Vinegar
½ tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper
2 Tbsp Chives – snipped
2 Tbsp Parsley – minced
Directions:
Thread garlic onto toothpicks or skewers leaving space between slices. In medium saucepan heat milk, cream, and garlic over medium-low heat until steam is rising and edges show bubbles but do not allow to boil (15 min). Remove from heat and gently stir in 3 Tbsp vinegar and let sit for 15 min (remove garlic). Pull curds to the side, if whey is still cloudy add up to 2 Tbsp more vinegar, allow to settle again. Line strainer with cheesecloth and pour mixture to separate curds from whey (toss whey). Refrigerate curds in strainer over bowl for four hours. Place drained curds into bowl with salt, pepper, chives, and parsley and mix well. Rinse cheesecloth and wrap around the cheese mixture, press firmly to shape (inside a bowl). Refrigerate covered until ready to serve. Can use light cream or 2% instead of whole milk but do not sub both as some fat is needed.
Garlic Herb Cheese
Ingredients:
3 Garlic Cloves – thinly sliced
1 qt Milk - nothing less than 2%
1 cup Heavy Cream - can sub light cream if use whole milk
3-5 Tbsp Vinegar
½ tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper
2 Tbsp Chives – snipped
2 Tbsp Parsley – minced
Directions:
Thread garlic onto toothpicks or skewers leaving space between slices. In medium saucepan heat milk, cream, and garlic over medium-low heat until steam is rising and edges show bubbles but do not allow to boil (15 min). Remove from heat and gently stir in 3 Tbsp vinegar and let sit for 15 min (remove garlic). Pull curds to the side, if whey is still cloudy add up to 2 Tbsp more vinegar, allow to settle again. Line strainer with cheesecloth and pour mixture to separate curds from whey (toss whey). Refrigerate curds in strainer over bowl for four hours. Place drained curds into bowl with salt, pepper, chives, and parsley and mix well. Rinse cheesecloth and wrap around the cheese mixture, press firmly to shape (inside a bowl). Refrigerate covered until ready to serve. Can use light cream or 2% instead of whole milk but do not sub both as some fat is needed.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Vodka Sauce - As in fine pasta dish not what's in your martini glass!
A few years back I started trying a wider range of pasta recipes. It didn't take long for me to realize that you can easily make a lot more than basic spaghetti sauce at home, restaurant quality dishes, fairly cheap and without a lot of time and effort. Now for those occasions when you do have time and effort to spare making your own pasta is not hard and elevates the level of the dish and certainly impresses whoever is eating with you.
I ran across this recipe in a recent issue of Food Network Magazine. While Vodka Sauce is not my go to order in restaurants most of the time (I am a bolognese girl at heart) I have enjoyed it many times, often served over a spinach ravioli, at a local hole in the wall Italian place. I was very pleased with how simple this recipe is, very little prep time but very tasty results. And it is perfect for the non-meat crowd yet still hearty enough so that Brad, traditional male who assumes meal must have meat, can eat and not feel he is missing something.
The recipe calls for a can of plum tomatoes but I opted to use two cans of diced tomatoes because that is what I had in my pantry. I used all the liquid from the tomatoes and did not need the reserved pasta water and actually had to let it thicken slightly before serving. I do recommend this with a tube pasta because the sauce can thoroughly coat and nest inside a hollow pasta.
Ingredients:
12 oz Penne or other pasta
1 – 28 oz Can Whole Plum Tomatoes (or two 15 oz cans diced tomatoes)
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Shallots – minced
1 Garlic Clove – minced
¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
½ cup Vodka
2/3 cup Heavy Cream
½ cup Fresh Grated Parmesan plus more for topping
Handful Fresh Basil Leaves - torn
Directions:
Cook pasta and reserve ½ cup water. If using whole tomatoes, dump into a bowl liquid and all and crush with hands. Melt butter over medium heat and sauté shallots until slightly softened (3 min), add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 more seconds, stirring. Remove from heat and stir in vodka, tomatoes, and salt to taste, return to heat and simmer over medium heat stirring often until alcohol cooks off, about 7 min. Stir in heavy cream and cook till sauce thickens, about 3 min. Stir in parmesan and basil. Add pasta and toss to combine adding reserved pasta water if needed. Serve topped with more parmesan and basil.
I ran across this recipe in a recent issue of Food Network Magazine. While Vodka Sauce is not my go to order in restaurants most of the time (I am a bolognese girl at heart) I have enjoyed it many times, often served over a spinach ravioli, at a local hole in the wall Italian place. I was very pleased with how simple this recipe is, very little prep time but very tasty results. And it is perfect for the non-meat crowd yet still hearty enough so that Brad, traditional male who assumes meal must have meat, can eat and not feel he is missing something.
The recipe calls for a can of plum tomatoes but I opted to use two cans of diced tomatoes because that is what I had in my pantry. I used all the liquid from the tomatoes and did not need the reserved pasta water and actually had to let it thicken slightly before serving. I do recommend this with a tube pasta because the sauce can thoroughly coat and nest inside a hollow pasta.
Ingredients:
12 oz Penne or other pasta
1 – 28 oz Can Whole Plum Tomatoes (or two 15 oz cans diced tomatoes)
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Shallots – minced
1 Garlic Clove – minced
¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
½ cup Vodka
2/3 cup Heavy Cream
½ cup Fresh Grated Parmesan plus more for topping
Handful Fresh Basil Leaves - torn
Directions:
Cook pasta and reserve ½ cup water. If using whole tomatoes, dump into a bowl liquid and all and crush with hands. Melt butter over medium heat and sauté shallots until slightly softened (3 min), add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 more seconds, stirring. Remove from heat and stir in vodka, tomatoes, and salt to taste, return to heat and simmer over medium heat stirring often until alcohol cooks off, about 7 min. Stir in heavy cream and cook till sauce thickens, about 3 min. Stir in parmesan and basil. Add pasta and toss to combine adding reserved pasta water if needed. Serve topped with more parmesan and basil.
Mashed Potato Gratin
Although it seems that most of what I choose to cook is somewhat Italian related I am actually of Scotch Irish dissent (at least on one side of the family) and not surprisingly LOVE potato dishes. I have two cookbooks dedicated completely to potatoes which is pretty amazing when you think about it. I mean, really, how many different things can you actually do with potatoes? And when you look at the recipes you learn that many are minor variations of classic potato + cheese and bake dishes. Well, recently I came across what for me was a new twist on things in an issue of Cooking Light Magazine - Mashed Potato Gratin.
I made this dish for the first time recently and it became an immediate favorite. The texture of the potatoes is very similar to the texture of potatoes on top of a good sheppard's pie - very fluffy. And considering the small amount of butter and the use of skim milk the recipe is still very rich and satisfying because of the cheeses. I cut the recipe in half and still had lots of leftovers which reheated really well with a little milk so that they became more of the classic mashed potato dish.
Ingredients:
4 lbs Potatoes – cut into 2 inch cubes
1 cup Fontina cheese – shredded and divided
¾ cup Gruyere cheese – shredded and divided
1½ Tbsp Butter
1 tsp Salt
¼ tsp Black Pepper
1 cup 1% Milk - warmed
Directions:
Boil potatoes 15 min or till tender, drain and return to pan. Add ¾ cup of fontina cheese, ½ cup gruyere cheese, butter, salt, pepper and mash until well combined. Add warm milk and continue mashing until reach desired texture. Spoon into 13 X 9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining cheeses and cover with foil. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes, remove foil and set up to broil and broil for 5 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbly.
I made this dish for the first time recently and it became an immediate favorite. The texture of the potatoes is very similar to the texture of potatoes on top of a good sheppard's pie - very fluffy. And considering the small amount of butter and the use of skim milk the recipe is still very rich and satisfying because of the cheeses. I cut the recipe in half and still had lots of leftovers which reheated really well with a little milk so that they became more of the classic mashed potato dish.
Ingredients:
4 lbs Potatoes – cut into 2 inch cubes
1 cup Fontina cheese – shredded and divided
¾ cup Gruyere cheese – shredded and divided
1½ Tbsp Butter
1 tsp Salt
¼ tsp Black Pepper
1 cup 1% Milk - warmed
Directions:
Boil potatoes 15 min or till tender, drain and return to pan. Add ¾ cup of fontina cheese, ½ cup gruyere cheese, butter, salt, pepper and mash until well combined. Add warm milk and continue mashing until reach desired texture. Spoon into 13 X 9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining cheeses and cover with foil. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes, remove foil and set up to broil and broil for 5 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbly.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival
This summer we attended the Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival at Koka Booth Amphitheatre for the first time and had an absolute blast! When we were planning to attend we tried hard to get a couple of friends to go with us to take part of a really good deal on four VIP tickets but sadly the friends are not fans of bourbon and at the time there wasn’t much on the promotion site to really indicate what kinds of beer would be available. The claim is “60 beers, 40 bourbons, and lots of bbq” and that is an excellent description of what we encountered. Getting VIP tickets was absolutely the best decision we made as it allowed us early entry (2 hours ahead of regular ticket holders) plus we got a really cool promo t-shirt with the tagline “Brew It. Taste It. Sip It. Pork It.” along with the tasting glass that came with all ticket prices. Note that the VIP ticket sessions sold out online well ahead of the event.
We knew we would be enjoying quite a bit of booze so we checked into a hotel within walking distance of the event beforehand to avoid any risk of drinking and driving and so that neither of us had to play the role of designated driver that gets irritated by all the happy drunk people. We walked over to the gates about 20 minutes before the early entry time and there was a large crowd already present. The organizers were exactly that – very organized. They were going through the crowd doing ID checks as we waited for the gates to officially open so once the clock struck 12 noon the masses really quickly funneled through showing tickets and picking up the programs, glasses, t-shirts, etc.
The venue was well arranged with clusters of tasting tents spread out across the lawn as well as sections under the covered area. Having the program map gave us a chance to look over what was available and how to find it so that the “must taste items” were sought out first. Our only mistake was waiting too late to visit Woodford Reserve because when we did get around to them after an hour or so they had already run out. I think this was due to the timing of their class. In addition to just tasting there were several seminars being hosted by various vendors so I am sure their class prompted rapid tastings at their booth.
A note about the food: This was first and foremost a beer and bourbon event. There were several food vendors doing a nice job of providing bbq and Backyard Bistro was cranking out burgers constantly. But this, in my opinion, was not an event to go to if you primary interest is in the food. Keep in mind that this is a multi-day event and that there was another exclusive tasting for Friday evening where they were doing a pig picking so that might be of greater interest for those seeking a special bbq experience. One other food note: as we were entering the venue we noticed groups of people with necklaces made of pretzels (a piece of yarn with a handful of pretzels threaded through). This was absolute genius! Food is not permitted but obviously this was allowed as jewelry and I am sure it made for great between tastes snacking.
We knew we would be enjoying quite a bit of booze so we checked into a hotel within walking distance of the event beforehand to avoid any risk of drinking and driving and so that neither of us had to play the role of designated driver that gets irritated by all the happy drunk people. We walked over to the gates about 20 minutes before the early entry time and there was a large crowd already present. The organizers were exactly that – very organized. They were going through the crowd doing ID checks as we waited for the gates to officially open so once the clock struck 12 noon the masses really quickly funneled through showing tickets and picking up the programs, glasses, t-shirts, etc.
 |
| view of VIP crowd waiting to enter |
Lots of people brought lawn chairs in order to camp out near the stage for the entertainment but being part of the first mass to enter we easily obtained a table under the covered section and basically took turns going to get tastes when we were ready to just hang out. Having a spot to hang out is essential as it allows you to take the time to enjoy a taste versus pounding down taste after taste from being on foot constantly. And having selected a spot overlooking the main tasting areas we could see when a tasting tent was too crowded or had opened up and had front row seats for watching the silliness of some who had imbibed too quickly.
 |
| view of lawn area looking up towards covered section |
The venue was well arranged with clusters of tasting tents spread out across the lawn as well as sections under the covered area. Having the program map gave us a chance to look over what was available and how to find it so that the “must taste items” were sought out first. Our only mistake was waiting too late to visit Woodford Reserve because when we did get around to them after an hour or so they had already run out. I think this was due to the timing of their class. In addition to just tasting there were several seminars being hosted by various vendors so I am sure their class prompted rapid tastings at their booth.
A note about the food: This was first and foremost a beer and bourbon event. There were several food vendors doing a nice job of providing bbq and Backyard Bistro was cranking out burgers constantly. But this, in my opinion, was not an event to go to if you primary interest is in the food. Keep in mind that this is a multi-day event and that there was another exclusive tasting for Friday evening where they were doing a pig picking so that might be of greater interest for those seeking a special bbq experience. One other food note: as we were entering the venue we noticed groups of people with necklaces made of pretzels (a piece of yarn with a handful of pretzels threaded through). This was absolute genius! Food is not permitted but obviously this was allowed as jewelry and I am sure it made for great between tastes snacking.
 |
| a group of pretzel necklace people |
There was a great mix of bourbon and beers so for those who aren’t bourbon lovers I would say it still might be worth checking out for the beers. I didn’t think I would do much bourbon tasting but the bourbon soaked cherry they offered as we entered the venue was a good subtle introduction that prompted me to go ahead and give everything a try. And for those who enjoy cigars with their bourbon, there were several vendors providing those and although I do not condone it I permitted Brad to enjoy one and for fun posed with it as well.
So when all is said in done here is the list of everything I tasted in order: Jim Beam Red Stag Bourbon, Widmer Drifter Pale Ale, Jeremiah Weed Peach Sweet Tea Vodka, Abita Turbo Dog Ale, Patron Resposada Tequilia, Brooklyn Brown Ale, Sierra Nevada Autumn Brown Ale, Jameson served with ginger ale, Woodchuck Cider, Absolute Acai Vodka with cranberry juice, Sweetwater Blue Ale, Highland Park Scotch, Makers Mark Bourbon, Mikes Hard Lemon Ade in Pink and then a mix of Mikes Cranberry Lemon Ade and the Lime Ade, Jim Beam R1 Rye Bourbon, Buffalo Trace 1792 Bourbon, Jack Daniel's Single Barrel then Gentlemen's Jack Bourbons, Firefly Sweet Tea Peach Vodka, Breckenridge Vanilla Porter, New Belgium Fat Tire Ale, Oskar Blues Old Chub Ale, Shiner Bock Black Lager. And to keep from becoming some of the folks that too quickly imbibed we shared a huge plate of bbq early on and later two of the best tasting double cheeseburgers from Backyard Bistro.
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